Tuesday, February 10, 2015

John Broadfoot, oldest son of Thomas and Margaret (Harcomb) Broadfoot, was by some mention in my oral family history, not a very like-able man. My father told me that his father told him, that John is the reason almost all of his children came to America to escape their father, a overbearing and argumentative Scot. Family records say he was born in Creetown, Dumfriessshire, Scotland on 6 Feb 1853 but Scotlands People does not have a record of his birth that I can find. Perhaps he doesn't want it to be found?

The first record he appears in is the 1861 census when his parents have been married for ten years. They live on Bank St. in Creetown and John's age is listed as 8 which fits with his supposed year of birth.

Creetown is a small seaside town with a port that shipped local granite. So, it is fitting that he be born here and have early exposure to the world of granite. A look at Google Maps shows the River Cree flowing into a Ferry Burn into the town and not very wide Bank St. is inland just off the center of town. Of course, the structures and walls are made of stone.

John goes to school with his brother, Hugh, leaving little Eliza home with her mum. The 1871 census record of this family is nowhere to be found as yet. But, we know that there are several more children in this family from their birth records. John's little sister Mary who was born in 1871 in Creetown did die 4 Oct 1875 in Dalbeattie. That time period, 1871-1875, tells us that is when they moved from Creetown to Dalbeattie.